Echinacea plant named ‘Rainb299’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Echinacea  plant named ‘Rainb299’, characterized by its upright and relatively compact plant habit; moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; strong flowering stems; numerous large single-type inflorescences with orange, dark orange, red and red purple-colored ray florets and red-colored receptacle spines; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Echinacea purpurea.

Cultivar denomination: ‘RAINB299’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Echinacea plant, botanically known as Echinacea purpurea, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Rainb299’.

The new Echinacea plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Zuidwolde, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to develop new freely flowering and relatively compact Echinacea plants with unique and attractive ray floret coloration.

The new Echinacea plant originated from a cross-pollination in June, 2013 in Zuidwolde, The Netherlands of a proprietary selection of Echinacea purpurea identified as code number 304-13, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Echinacea purpurea identified as code number 512-03, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Echinacea plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination grown in a controlled greenhouse environment in Zuidwolde, The Netherlands in July, 2014.

Asexual reproduction of the new Echinacea plant by in vitro meristem culture in a controlled environment in Zuidwolde, The Netherlands since October, 2014 has shown that the unique features of this new Echinacea plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Echinacea have been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Rainb299’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Rainb299’ as a new and distinct Echinacea plant:

-   -   1. Upright and relatively compact plant habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Strong flowering stems.     -   5. Numerous large single-type inflorescences with orange, dark         orange, red and red purple-colored ray florets and red-colored         receptacle spines.     -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Echinacea can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Echinacea differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Echinacea are stronger and shorter than         plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Echinacea are not as freely branching as         plants of the female parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Echinacea and the female parent selection         differ in ray floret color as plants of the female parent         selection have white-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Echinacea can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Echinacea differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Echinacea are stronger and shorter than         plants of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Echinacea are more freely branching than         plants of the male parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Echinacea and the male parent selection         differ in ray floret color as plants of the male parent         selection have pink-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Echinacea can be compared to plants of Echinacea hybrida ‘Hot Summer’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,687. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Echinacea differed primarily from plants of ‘Hot Summer’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Echinacea were shorter than plants of ‘Hot         Summer’.     -   2. Plants of the new Echinacea are less vigorous than plants of         ‘Hot Summer’.

Plants of the new Echinacea can also be compared to plants of Echinacea hybrida ‘Cleopatra’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 24,631. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Zuidwolde, The Netherlands, plants of the new Echinacea differed primarily from plants of ‘Cleopatra’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Echinacea were shorter than plants of         ‘Cleopatra’.     -   2. Plants of the new Echinacea flowered later than plants of         ‘Cleopatra’.     -   3. Plants of the new Echinacea and ‘Cleopatra’ differed in ray         floret color as plants of ‘Cleopatra’ had soft yellow-colored         ray florets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Echinacea plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Echinacea plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Rainb299’ grown in ground beds in an outdoor nursery and placed in a 17.5 cm by 22 cm container for the photograph.

The photographs on the second sheet are close-up views of a typical inflorescence (upper photograph) and the upper surface of a typical leaf (lower photograph) of ‘Rainb299’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the summer in ground beds in an outdoor nursery in Zuidwolde, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typically used in commercial Echinacea production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 32° C. and night temperatures ranged from 8° C. to 20° C. Plants were eight months old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Echinacea purpurea ‘Rainb299’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary selection of Echinacea purpurea             identified as code number 304-13, not patented.         -   Male parent.—Proprietary selection of Echinacea purpurea             identified as code number 512-03, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By in vitro meristem culture.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About one week at             temperatures about 25° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About five             weeks at temperatures about 21° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically pale cream in             color, actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate             composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation,             substrate temperature and physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; upright             and relatively compact plant habit, narrow inverted             triangle; freely branching habit with about four primary             branches developing per plant; moderately vigorous to             vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 68 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 54.5 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 39.5 cm. Diameter: About             1 cm. Internode length: About 5.1 cm. Aspect: Erect to about             10° from vertical. Strength: Very strong. Texture:             Moderately pubescent; strigose; rough. Color: Close to 144B             tinged with close to 178B. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.         -   Length.—About 20.5 cm.         -   Width.—About 6.6 cm.         -   Shape.—Narrowly ovate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Shallowly dentate; slightly undulate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Moderately pubescent,             strigose; rough.         -   Luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Moderately glossy.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 143B.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 143C. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N137A; venation,             close to 146D. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 147B; venation, close to 145A to 145B and 146D.         -   Petioles, basal leaves.—Length: About 4.1 cm. Diameter:             About 3 mm by 4 mm. Strength: Strong, flexible. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Mostly glabrous; margins, sparsely             pubescent; strigose. Color, upper surface: Close to 146D;             towards the base, tinged with close to 183B; margins, close             to N137A. Color, lower surface: Close to 145B; margins,             close to N137C. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Large single-type inflorescences with ray and             disc florets arranged on a capitulum; inflorescences             positioned upright above the foliar plane on mostly upright             and strong peduncles.         -   Flowering habit.—Freely flowering habit with about 28             inflorescences developing per plant during the flowering             season.         -   Fragrance.—Moderately fragrant; somewhat acidic, pleasant.         -   Time to flower.—In the garden, plants flower continuously             from early July to late September in The Netherlands.         -   Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good             substance for about three weeks on the plant; inflorescences             persistent.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 2.2 cm. Diameter: About             2.5 cm. Shape: Flattened globular. Color: Involucral bracts,             close to 143A; ray florets, close to 150C.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 12.9 cm. Depth (height):             About 6.7 cm. Disc diameter: About 4 cm. Receptacle height:             About 1.6 cm. Receptacle diameter: About 1.3 cm. Receptacle             color: Close to 155C.         -   Ray florets.—Quantity and arrangement: About 28 arranged in             a single whorl at the base of the receptacle. Length: About             6.1 cm. Width: About 1.4 cm. Shape: Oblanceolate. Apex:             Praemorse. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper             surface: Glabrous; velvety; longitudinally ridged. Texture,             lower surface: Glabrous; longitudinally ridged. Luster,             upper surface: Matte. Luster, lower surface: Slightly             glossy. Aspect: Horizontal to drooping, about 25° from             horizontal. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to             N25A; towards the base, close to 33B. When opening, lower             surface: Close to between 51C and 180D; towards the apex,             tinged with close to 154D. Fully opened, upper surface:             Close to N25B; towards the base, close to 33B and 53D;             colors becoming closer to 25D, fading towards the base to             closer to 63A to 63B, with development. Fully opened, lower             surface: Close to 51B to 51C; towards the apex, tinged with             close to 154D; color does not change with development.         -   Disc florets.—Quantity and arrangement: About 250 per             inflorescence, spirally at the center. Length: About 1 cm.             Diameter: About 2 mm. Shape: Tubular; proximally, 15% free,             not fused. Apex: Acute. Base: Fused. Margin: Entire.             Texture, inner and outer surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Luster,             inner and outer surfaces: Glossy. Color, when opening, inner             and outer surfaces: Apex: Close to 144A tinged with close to             53B. Mid-section: Close to 145C. Base: Close to 59B to 59C.             Color, fully opened, inner and outer surfaces: Apex: Close             to 144A tinged with close to 53B. Mid-section: Close to             145C. Base: Close to 59B to 59C.         -   Receptacle spines.—Quantity: One per disc floret. Length:             About 1 cm to 2 cm. Shape: Acicular. Apex: Acute. Base:             Attenuate. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Luster: Glossy. Color:             Apex: Close to 42A to darker than 42A. Mid-section: Close to             143B to 143C. Base: Close to 145D.         -   Involucral bracts.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 96             arranged in about four whorls. Length: About 1.2 cm. Width:             About 3 mm. Shape: Ovate to narrowly ovate. Apex: Acute.             Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper surface:             Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower surface: Moderately             pubescent. Luster, upper and lower surfaces: Matte. Color,             upper surface: Close to N137B. Color, lower surface: Close             to 137A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 16.4 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Upright to about 35° from             vertical. Texture: Moderately pubescent; strigose. Color:             Close to 143C and 144C slightly tinged with close to 178B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium (present on ray and disc             florets): Quantity per floret: Five. Filament length: About             3.5 mm. Filament color: Close to 145D. Anther length: About             3 mm. Anther shape: Narrowly oblong. Anther color: Close to             200A. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 17A.             Gynoecium (present only on disc florets): Quantity per             floret: One. Pistil length: About 6 mm. Stigma shape:             Decurrent, unequal. Stigma color: Close to 200A. Style             length: About 4.5 mm. Style color: Close to 145A. Ovary             color: Close to 145D. Seeds and fruits: Seed and fruit             development have not been observed on plants of the new             Echinacea. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Echinacea have not been     shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Echinacea     plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Echinacea have exhibited good     garden performance and to tolerate rain and wind. Plants of the new     Echinacea have been observed to tolerate high temperatures of about     35° C. and to be hardy to USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 4. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Echinacea plant named ‘Rainb299’ as illustrated and described. 